‘Delhi Doesn't Need To Fear’: CM Rekha Gupta As Yamuna Crosses Danger Mark; CWC Warns Of Floods In States
Following Yamuna's rise above the danger mark in Delhi, CM Gupta assured limited flooding to floodplains due to desilting efforts. The CWC issued a nationwide flood warning, forecasting severe flooding.
New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) Following the Yamuna river breaching the danger mark, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday assured that the national capital will not experience widespread flooding, and that any inundation will be confined to the floodplains.
The Yamuna in Delhi crossed the danger level, reaching the mark of 205.36 metres at 2 pm on Monday at the Old Railway Bridge, officials informed.
Gupta, along with water minister Parvesh Verma, visited multiple areas to take stock of the measures in case flooding occurs. She visited the flood control room in the District Magistrate (East) office and areas like the Yamuna Bazar that were flooded during the 2023 floods.
"The situation is under control, and we are monitoring the water level of the Yamuna. The department is making observations on the release of water (from Haryana). When the floods struck Delhi in 2023, the drains were not desilted, and the ITO barrage was choked. Our department has been working for the last six months," she told reporters.
All the gates of the ITO barrage are open now, and the drains are functioning at full capacity since the desilting work was carried out, Gupta mentioned.
Delhi battled one of its worst flood-like situations in 2023, with several areas inundated due to heavy rain and over 25,000 people were evacuated.
"If a problem arises, flooding will happen only in floodplains. People living there have been informed by our district magistrates. We feel that the water will not enter the city this time," she added, noting that the concerned departments are monitoring the situation.
"Delhi does not need to fear. If the water is being released, it is also moving ahead. We are in a safe zone and authorities are working around the clock," she stated, asking people not to panic.
In 2023, the river reached an all-time high of 208.66 metres, surpassing the previous all-time record of 207.49 metres set in September 1978 by a significant margin.
The river breached embankments and penetrated deeper into the city than it had in over four decades at that time.
CWC warns of severe flooding across multiple states; Yamuna in Delhi to touch 206m
(PTI) The Central Water Commission (CWC) on Monday issued a nationwide flood advisory warning of severe flooding in several states, with the Yamuna in Delhi expected to swell further and reach 206 metres by early Tuesday morning.
According to the daily flood situation report, 15 stations, including six each in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and one each in Delhi, Jharkhand and West Bengal are currently under "severe flood situation".
Another 34 stations across Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and West Bengal are witnessing "above normal" flooding.
In Delhi, the Yamuna at the Railway Bridge is flowing above the danger mark with a rising trend. The CWC has listed vulnerable tehsils such as Karawal Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, Kotwali, Civil Lines and Defence Colony, along with villages like Burari, Pur Shahdara, Badarpur, and Sabhapur as being at risk.
The advisory also highlights widespread threats across southern and western India. In Karnataka, very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is forecast in coastal and interior districts, raising water levels in rivers such as Netravathi, Kumaradhara, and Varada.
Kerala's Kabini, Valapattanam, and Chandragiri rivers are expected to rise, while Maharashtra faces flooding in west-flowing rivers, including Damanganga and Vashishti, as well as in the Krishna and Godavari basins.
In Telangana, the Godavari basin is under extreme rainfall alert, with heavy inflows forecast into major reservoirs such as Nizamsagar, Sriramsagar, and Kanthampally.
Andhra Pradesh too faces "very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall" due to a low-pressure area, with rivers Musi, Maneru and Paleru likely to swell.
Flood alerts have also been issued for Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand, where multiple rivers are flowing above warning or danger levels.
The CWC has advised dam authorities in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat to strictly follow operating procedures and issue advance warnings before releasing water from reservoirs.
In the Cauvery basin, where dams such as Krishnarajasagar, Hemavathi, Kabini and Mettur are nearly full, coordinated releases are being recommended to avoid downstream flooding.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also flagged moderate flash flood risks in North Interior Karnataka, Telangana, Konkan and Goa, and parts of Maharashtra, and low to moderate risks in Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, and Marathwada.
(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)
Top Headlines
